Collapsible clothes rack



Nov. 10, 1942. s. F. JORDAN 2,301,284

COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHES RACK Filed April 25. 1940 I NV ENTOR.

301/? f? /y Mum/M MM ATTORNEY.

- entertainment in the home.

pairs sta ers 'i orgies COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHES RACK Sadie Finley Jordan,Birmingham, Mich. Application April 25, 1940, Serial No. 331,517

2 Claims.

' The present invention pertains to a novel collapsible clothes rack.The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive device of this character which can easily be folded into acompact body and stored away when not in use, and readily set up whenthe occasion requires.

The device is intended to be used in homes on occasions when a largenumber of guests are present. It is a well known fact that most homes,and particularly apartments, have no closet space in excess of thenormal daily needs, and in fact many homes have insufficient closetspace even under normal conditions. Consequently, when company isexpected, the host or hostess is faced with the inconvenience ofemptying a closet and thereby overcrowding the others,

or the guests are required to lay their wraps on the furniture, usuallythe beds, in one of the rooms of the house. This practice is objectionable in several respects. The disposition of clothing in this mannerimparts an unsightly appearance to the room set aside as the cloak roomand may also be injurious to the furnishings such as delicate bedcoverings and highly polished furniture. Also, the guests resent havingtheir clothing laid in heaps. Ladies hats are liable to become damaged,evening wraps crushed, and even heavier clothing becomes wrinkled whenslightly damp.

My invention overcomes these practical difficulties which are a frequentoccurrence in the average American home which does not ordinarily haveample closet space to accommodate the number of guests attending agathering such as a dinner party or other familiar form of group Theclothes rack which I have invented is of such design and constructionthat it can easily be set up, and requires very little space in the roomthat serves as the cloak room. With an attendant at the rack, the

guests dispose of their wraps quickly and conveniently and may have themreturned in like manner when about to depart. When not in use, the rackis collapsed into a compact form and is put away in the same manner asan ironing board or the boards of a dining room table.

The device consists substantially of a top piece or shelf standing onlegs hinged to the ends thereof. A rack bar is pivotally attached to thetop structure and swings down to its operative position between the legswhere it serves also as agbrace for the legs. Coat hangers are hung fromthe bar, and hats may be laid on the top piece or shelf.

member I.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the followingdescription and in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal section of the device, showing certain partsin elevation;

Figure 2 is a transverse section;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the device in collapsed condition.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characterswhich are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

As shown in Figure 1, the device includes a top board, or shelf l withblocks 2 and 3 secured to the lower surface thereof and near the ends.The block 3 is approximately twice as thick as the block 2 for a purposewhich will presently appear. To the blocks are attached legs i and 5respectively by means of hinges 6 swinging on axes transverse of theboard I so that the le s may be laid one over the other. The leg 4 islonger than the leg 5 to the extent that the block 3 exceeds the block 2in thickness, so that the top member I will be horizontal when thedevice is erected as in Figure 1.

From the top piece or shelf i is also suspended a longitudinal rack bar1 formed with enlargements or heads 8 at the ends. This member issupported from the shelf by means of hinges 9 that swing on an axislongitudinal of the shelf I. The heads also engage the legs 5 and 5, andin this manner the rack bar 1 serves as a brace between the legs.

In order to further secure the structure in the erected position, thelower end of each head is drilled with a hole I ll from the outer edgeand parallel to the bar I. In the hole is inserted a tapped ferrule ll.Adjacent to the open end of the hole and in line therewith, the adjacentleg has a hole l2 drilled therethrough. A screw [3 is passed through thehole 12 and threaded into the ferrule II and is provided at its outerend with a head in the form of a knob Hi.

When the device is not in use, it is collapsed by first removing thescrews l3 and swinging the heads 8 on their hinges against the lowersurface of the top member I. In this connection, it is to be noted thatthe thickness of the heads does not exceed that of the thinner block 2.Consequently, the longer leg 4 when swung inward on its hinge may lieperfectly fiat or parallel to the top The shorter leg 5 is then swunginward and against the leg 4 on which it lies flat because of thegreater thickness of the block 3. The longer leg 4 carries a swivelledfinger piece or latch l5 near its upper end to fasten in a slot I in thelower end of the leg 5, whereby the several parts are locked together inthe collapsed position. In this condition the device may be carried withsafety, since there is no danger that the legs or other parts will swingout and strike against walls or furniture.

The legs 4 and 5 are preferably widened at their upper ends transverselyat the top, as indicated by the numeral I6, to enable a more securehinge construction in the form of two or more alined hinges 6 or a longsingle hinge. The lower ends of the legs are likewise formed withwidened feet I! to provide adequate support. The top member I ispreferably formed with a depending marginal wall or trim I8 to provide amore finished appearance to conceal the, understructure and to form abox-like member in which the hinged parts are received when the deviceis collapsed, as is shown in Figure 3. Blocks l9 are secured at suitablepoints on the lower surface of the top I to receive the screw knobs I3,I 4 as shown in Figure 3.

In use, the device is erected as illustrated in Figure 1 and as alreadydescribed. It occupies a comparatively small floor area, since the topmember I is of shelf width and may be of any desired practical length.The wraps are placed on coat hangers and hung on the bar I in the usualmanner. The hats are laid on the shelf, and in this respect the deviceis a complete unit for the purpose contemplated. The appearance of theroom and the condition of the furnishings are enhanced by the absence ofclothing strewn about the room, and the guests are placed at ease by thefeeling that their clothing is properly cared for and need not be pulledout of a heap when wanted.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that various alterations in the detailsof construction may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a relatively high collapsible clotnes rack comprising a topmember, relatively high onepiece legs hinged to the ends thereof andadapted to fold towards the same, a rigid and continuous rack bar spacedonly slightly beneath said top member and having transverse end pieceshinged directly to said member on an axis lengthwise of the member, saidpieces being adapted to be swung from a parallel to a perpendicularposition relatively to said member, said end pieces in the perpendicularposition spacing said bar from said member to form a clear space betweensaid bar and said member and bearing against said legs over asubstantial area when the legs are in operative position, whereby saidbar serves as a brace for said legs, said bar being at such a distancefrom the lower ends of said legs in the operative position as to permitgarments to be suspended therefrom, and means for preventing said legsfrom swinging outwardly when in operative position.

2. A relatively high collapsible clothes rack comprising a top member, ablock secured across each end thereof at the lower surface, one-blockbeing thicker than the other, relatively high onepiece legs hingedrespectively to said blocks on transverse axes, the lengths of said legsbeing such that said member will be supported in a horizontal position,a rigid and continuous rack bar spaced only slightly beneath said topmember and having end pieces hinged directly to said member on an axislengthwise of said member, said pieces being adapted to be swung from aparallel to a perpendicular position relatively to said member and abovethe lower edge of the thinner block in the parallel position, saidpieces in the perpendicular position bearing against said legs over asubstantial area when the latter are in operative position, whereby saidbar serves as a brace for said legs, the thickness of the thick er blockbeing substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of one of said endpieces and the longer leg, whereby both legs lie substantially parallelto said top member in the folded position, said bar being at such adistance from the lower ends of said legs in the operative position asto permit garments to be suspended therefrom, and means for preventingsaid legs from swinging outwardly when in operativeposition.

SADIE FINLEY JORDAN.

